STAMARIS, DANIEL J. JR.

Name: Daniel J. Stamaris, Jr.
Rank/Branch: Staff Sergeant/U.S. Army
Unit:
Age: 31
Home City: Boise ID
Date of Loss: 27 February 1991
Country of Loss: Kuwait
Loss Coordinates:
Status: Prisoner of War
Status in 2002: Released 03/05/91
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Chinook

Other Personnel in Incident: Rhonda L. Cornum, Troy Dunlap (both released
POWs); five others (killed)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 11 March 1991 from one
or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
published sources, interviews. Updated by the POW NETWORK 2020.

REMARKS: OPERATION DESERT STORM

SYNOPSIS: On February 27, 1991, an American F16 fighter/bomber joined in air
support for an allied tank battle near Basra. During the fighting, the
aircraft was shot down. The pilot of the aircraft, Capt. William Andrews,
safely ejected the crippled plane and reported that besides an injured leg,
he was fine.

One rescue effort for Andrews failed. An Army search and rescue team was
flown in by helicopter. Onboard the aircraft was its crew, the search team,
and a flight surgeon, Maj. Rhonda Cornum. The helicopter was shot down, and
five bodies were located. According to some news sources, three individuals
remained missing from the aircraft -- Maj. Rhonda L. Cornum, SSgt. Daniel J.
Stamaris and Sgt. Troy Dunlap.

When darkness fell, Andrews was to hide and wait for morning rescue. When
morning came, Andrews could not be found.

Dunlap's family was startled and elated when his name appeared on missing
lists. On February 2, an Army representative came to the family home in
Karnak, Illinois, and said Dunlap had been killed. Two days later, the Army
changed his status to missing.

On March 6, 1991, Andrews, Cornum, Dunlap, and Stamaris were released by the
Iraqis. Cornum and Andrews were carried on stretchers with leg injuries.
Cornum had suffered two broken arms, an injured knee, and a broken hand in
the crash of the helicopter.
 

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https://www.army.mil/article/162163/gulf_war_pow_survived_through_faith_and_hope